Food box with tray and clip

ABSTRACT

A food box for storing food includes a box having one opening and a lid having holes, wherein the lid is integrated with the box; a tray placed in the box, the tray having a first handle at one side and a second handle at the opposite side, wherein the first and second handles are exposed outside the box, and wherein the height of the tray is lower than the depth of the box; and a clip having a plurality of sticks for inserting into the holes in the lid, whereby the food box is moved upward by operating the handles of the tray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention has been made by the members of MIMURA Seminar, Graduate School of Law, Nihon Univ. as a team. The invention relates to a food box, and particularly to a food box having a tray where foods are stored, and having a clip provided for closing the food box and for picking up the foods.

2. Description of the Related Arts

Conventionally, when foods are ordered at a fast food restaurant, such as a hamburger shop, the foods are provided by wrapping with a wrapping paper, or the foods are provided in a box. However, when the wrapping paper is used, the foods may be easily flatten and crumbled at the time that the foods are taken out. On the other hand, when a box is used instead of wrapping paper, it is not easy to grasp the foods in the box, because of its depth.

Further, when eating foods, it is necessary to grab the food with the user's bare hands, and the contents of the foods may stick out and get the user's hands dirty. If the user's hands are not so clean, it is very unhygienic. In addition, a large amount of paper napkins will be consumed to wipe the dirty hands, which will have an adverse effect on the environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and provides a food box for storing food which includes a box having one opening and a lid having holes, wherein the lid is integrated with the box; a tray placed in the box, the tray having a first handle at one side and a second handle at the opposite side, wherein the first and second handles are exposed outside the box, and wherein the height of the tray is lower than the depth of the box; and a clip having a plurality of sticks for inserting into the holes in the lid, whereby the food box is moved upward by operating the handles of the tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of a food box, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the a food box in which the lid is closed with a clip, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of the a food box with a tray, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of the a food box in which the tray is stored therein, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A shows a geometry net view of a box used in the food box, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B shows a geometry net view of a tray used in the food box, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of a tray-integrated food box, according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B shows a geometry net view of the tray-integrated food box, according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 5A-5C show three (3) illustrations in a row showing how to use the tray-integrated food box, according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Preferred Embodiment

A first preferred embodiment of the present invention for a food box is described, with reference to the drawings, as follows. In each drawing, the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar parts throughout all embodiments.

As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, a food box 1000 includes a box 100, a clip 200 and a tray 300. The box 100 has the two (2) holes 7 in a lid part 1 for inserting the clip 200.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the clip 200 includes a partially cut C-shaped ring 10 and at least three (3) sticks 11 formed at a location facing to that where the cut portion of the ring is formed. As shown in FIG. 1B, the box 100 can be closed with the lid part 1 by inserting two (2) of three (3) sticks 11 of the clip 200 into the holes 7.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the tray 300 includes a tray member 30, a first handle 20 a and a second handle 20 b. The tray member 30 includes an opening 32 for foods. Typically, the tray 300 is placed at the bottom of the box 100. The first handle 20 a and the second handle 20 b are exposed outside from the opening 32 of the box 100. As shown in FIG. 2B, the height of the tray 300 is lower than the depth of the box 100.

FIG. 3A shows a geometry net view of the box 100 used in the food box 1000, according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The alternate long and short dash lines used in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B represent the mountain fold lines, and the alternate long and two short dash lines represent valley fold lines.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the box 100 includes a top surface as the lid part 1 having two holes 7, a front surface 2, a back surface 3, a right side surface 4 a, a left side surface 4 b, a bottom surface 5, an insertion section 6 and margins 8 a-8 d for pasting the right side surface 4 a to the front surface 2 and the back surface 3 and for pasting the left side surface 4 b to the front surface 2 and the back surface 3. In detail, the margin 8 a and margin 8 b are glued to the back surface 3, and margin 8 c and margin 8 d are glued to the front surface 2 in order to form the box 100.

As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2A and 2B, the food box 1000 is used as follows. The tray 300 is inserted into the box 100, and is placed on the bottom surface 5 of the box 100. Under this state, areas that the first handle 20 a and the second handle 20 b are connected to the tray member 30, are stored in the box 100 by the left side surface 4 b and by the right side surface 4 a, respectively. Further, as described above, the open ends of the first handle 20 a and the second handle 20 b are exposed outside from the opening of the box 100.

After that, some foods, such as hamburgers, fries or nuggets are put on the tray 300. After eating the foods in the box 100 a little, the tray 300 is moved upward by pulling the first handle 20 a and the second handle 20 b at the same time in order to pick the foods easily.

There are some hitches (not shown in the drawings) on the left and right side surfaces 4 a, 4 b of the box 100, and the tray 300 can be held at a desired location by hooking the first handle 20 a and the second handle 20 b to one of the hitches, respectively.

When stop eating the rest of the foods, the user can insert the two sticks 11 a directly into the holes 7, and another stick 11 b is exposed outside the box 100, as shown in FIG. 1B. As a result, the lid 1 can be fixed to the box 100 with by one stick 11 b located outside of the box and two sticks 11 a located in the holes 7. Further, since the tip of the sticks 11 is sharp, so the user can pick up food by piercing with it.

Second Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of a tray-integrated food box 400, and FIG. 4A shows a geometry net view of the tray-integrated box food box 400. As well as the first embodiment, the alternate long and short dash lines used in FIGS. 4A and 4B represent the mountain fold lines, and the alternate long and two short dash lines represent valley fold lines.

The food box 400 includes a lid section 12, a box section 14 and a tray section 13 located between the lid section 12 and the box section 14. The lid section 12 includes a top surface 1, an insertion section 6 and holes 7. The box section 14 includes a front surface 2, a back surface 3, a right side surface 4 a, a left side surface 4 b, a bottom surface 5 and margins 8 a-8 d for pasting the right side surface 4 a to the front surface 2 and the back surface 3 and for pasting the left side surface 4 b to the front surface 2 and the back surface 3.

The tray section 13 has a back surface 13 a, a bottom surface 13 b, and a front surface 13 c. The lid section 12, the tray section 13 and the box section 14 are integrated. As well as in the first embodiment, the margin 8 a and margin 8 b are glued to the back surface 3, and margin 8 c and margin 8 d are glued to the front surface 2 in order to form a box from the box section 14.

FIGS. 5A-5C show three (3) illustration in a row showing how to use the tray-integrated food box, according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The tray section 13 is woven into the inside the box section 14. After that, some foods, such as hamburgers, fries or nuggets are put on in the tray portion 13 and stored in the box portion 14. Then, the box portion 14 is closed by the lid portion 12. When the user eats the food in the box 400, the user open the lid portion 12, and pull it upward so the foods is also moved upward with the tray portion 13. As well as the food box in the first embodiment, an unillustrated clip, may be used to cover the lid portion 12.

While the invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Thus, shapes, size and physical relationship of each component are roughly illustrated so the scope of the invention should not be construed to be limited to them. Further, to clarify the components of the invention, hatching is partially omitted in the cross-sectional views. Moreover, the numerical description in the embodiment described above is one of the preferred examples in the preferred embodiment so that the scope of the invention should not be construed to limit to them.

Various other modifications of the illustrated embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art on reference to this description. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food box for storing food, comprising: a box having one opening and a lid having holes, wherein the lid is integrated with the box; a tray placed in the box, the tray having a first handle at one side and a second handle at the opposite side, wherein the first and second handles are exposed outside the box, and wherein the height of the tray is lower than the depth of the box; and a clip having a plurality of sticks for inserting into the holes in the lid, whereby the food box is moved upward by operating the handles of the tray.
 2. A food box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clip includes a partially cut C-shaped ring and a plurality of sticks formed at a location facing to the location where the cut portion of the ring is formed.
 3. A food box as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clip includes three (3) sticks, each of which is formed in parallel, wherein the lid is fixed to the box with one stick located outside of the box and two sticks located in the holes.
 4. A food box for storing food, comprising: a box section, the box section acting as a box; a lid section having holes; and a tray section, the tray section acting a tray, wherein the box section, the lid section and tray section are integrally formed; and a clip having a plurality of sticks, wherein the stick is to be inserted into the hole formed in the lid section, whereby the tray section is moved upward in the box by pulling up the lid section, and wherein the bottom of the tray section portion is placed on the bottom of the box section.
 5. A food box as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tray section includes a front surface, a back surface connected to the lid section, and a bottom surface, and wherein the box portion includes a front surface, a back surface connected to the front surface of the tray section, a right side surface, a left side surface, and a bottom surface.
 6. A food box as claimed in claim 5, wherein the clip includes a partially cut C-shaped ring and a plurality of sticks formed at a location facing to the location where the cut portion of the ring is formed.
 7. A food box as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clip includes three (3) sticks, each of which is formed in parallel, wherein the lid section is fixed to the box section with one stick located outside of the box section and two sticks located in the holes. 